International students in Toronto gathered in front of Queen’s Park on November 17 for International Students Day to demand lower tuition rates from the provincial government of Ontario. Currently, tuition fees for students in Ontario are capped at 3%, while tuition fees for international students are capped at 20%.

Protesters said that the event was important because it was the first time that a large group of international students got together to talk about their problems. They also said that international students rarely protest because they don’t have many rights and it’s hard for them to speak out against government rules and regulations.

Javier Jardeleza, an international student, believes that tuition fees for international students should be reduced because of high inflation in Canada and the current state of the global economy. Jardeleza added that inadequate earnings make it increasingly difficult for international students to pay their high tuition fees.

In an interview with Bayan Canada chair Wilma Delo, Delo stated that the Canadian government should respond immediately to stop increasing tuition fees for international students, which affects a significant number of Filipino international students. Delo added that the “Philippines government should look out for the interests of overseas Filipino students who will be hit hard by the hike in tuition rates.”

Delo went on to say that international students should have the right to speak up and express their dissatisfaction with the current tuition fee increase regulation so that the Ontario government can “take notice of their problems.”

The rally was organized by student organizations from across Ontario as part of a mobilized protest against high tuition fees for international students. The historic gathering of international students allowed them to express their dissatisfaction with Canada’s current high cost of education.